Trap



Dec. 4, 1951 5 w, CAKES 2,577,354

TRAP I Filed May 11 1949 l i. f I ,7

Invznfor George 20 Uaifes Fatented Dec. 4, 1251 ITEDv STATES PATEN O F E-'1 i atmas I H I TRAP George tates rstelq tn Mov *Application May 11, 1949, Serial No. 92.705

1 v .claim. (01. 3 8 2;

This invention relates to' a devicefor trappingsmall animals such as mice.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a trap of the indicatedcharacter which kills atrapped mouse, and'by reasonof novel fea- 1 jenables the dead mouse tobe removed from thle' traplw ithout touching the -rno iise, and also enables a person to set thetr'ap easily and safely.

The present invention also resides in the efficient construction and effectual operation of the parts of the trap, and the economy with which the trap may be manufactured in large quantities.

The nature of the invention and its distinguishing features and advantages will appear when the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a trap embodying the features of the present invention, the trap being shown sprung.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the trap set. I

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the trap.

The trap comprises four parts Iii, II, I2 and I3.

The part It in the nature of a base consists of a plate I4 having an upstanding marginal flange I5 extending all around the plate except at the rear end. The flange I5 is serrated at the front end of the plate and partly around the sides to provide teeth on the flange constituting a fixed jaw I7. Pairs of lugs are upstruck from the plate I4, there being a pair of lugs I8 and a pair of lugs I9. The lugs I3 have notches 22 therein and the lugs I9 have notches 2I therein. By notching the lugs in the manner shown they serve as hooks. The flange I5 has slots 22 therein at opposite sides of the plate I4. The slots 22 are in transverse alinement with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plate I4.

The part II consists of a single piece of stout wire bent to provide a loop 23 and a trigger setting loop 24 in continuation of the loop 23, as a single element of L-shape. The loop 23 constitutes a jaw, and the loop 24 constitutes manipulatable means for setting the jaw 23. The wire is bent into offsets at the juncture of the loops to provide pivots 25 in axial alinement with each other. The pivots 25 are receivable in the notches 20 respectively thereby mounting the part or element II and therefore the loops 23 and 24 for pivotal movement with respect to the plate I4. By reason of the pivotal movement of the element II, the jaw 23 is movable into an open and closed position with respect to the fixed jaw II.

The part I2 is in the nature of a trigger and bait holder and is constructed from a single piece of sheetv metal to. provide an elongated, portion 2t,

a rebentnotched, front end portion 2?, and a rela: tivelywide. rear end portion. 28,. The portion 26;

has. an opening 29.therein and upstandin 'side. flanges 3%). with. notches toprovide projections. 3|. "'I'heportion. 21 provides hooks or the; like consti for the part I2 to rock on the plate I4 so that the projections 3I have a certain amount of arcuate movement as the part I2 is rocked on the plate I4; The slots 22 are large enough to allow the part I2 to rock without interference from the projections 3|.

The part I3 consists of a contractile helical spring which has one end connected with the lugs I9, as at 34, and its opposite end connected with the 1001324, as at 35. The lugs I9 project upwardly through the opening 29. The spring I3 is placed under tension when the jaw 23 is in its open position and reacts forcefully to snap the jaw 23 into its closed position when released from its open position as indicated by the arrows 28 of the trigger I2 causing the trigger to rock andthe projections 3| to engage the loop 24, thereby releasably holding the jaw 23 in its open position as shown in Fig. 2. When the trap is set, the spring I3 is in tension on almost a dead center, which requires very little effort to hold or release the trigger. When a mouse nibbling on the bait exerts a slight downward pressure on the trigger I2, the trigger will rock and disengage the projections 3| from the loop 24. The spring I3 instantly causes the pivotal movement of the element I I with the result that the jaw 23 is snapped into its closed position to grippingly cooperate with the jaw II. In this manner a mouse becomes trapped and is killed.

The. portion 21; slants. forwardly The other objects and advantages will be obvious from the foregoing description. In this connection it is to be noted that after the parts of the trap are made they may be assembled without the use of tools.

I claim:

A trap comprising a base plate constructed of sheet material and having an upstanding flange serrated to provide a fixed jaw, said plate also having upstruck pairs of spaced lugs, there being a notch in each lug, an element made of stout wire which provides a loop jaw and a trigger engaging loop, said element engaged in the notches in one pair of lugs for moving said loop jaw and trigger engaging loop into an open position. and a closed position, a contractile spring having the opposite ends connected with the trigger loop and the other pair of said lugs causing closing movement of the loop jaw, said loop jaw in the closed position grippingly cooperating with the fixed jaw, a trigger constructed of sheet material and having hooks on one end to hold bait, an angular portion on the opposite end of the trigger constituting an actuator for rocking the trigger, lateral projections engaged at oppo- 25 site sides of said base plate with said flange keeping the trigger from moving endwise with respect to the plate, and rear projections on the trigger to be engaged by said trigger loop upon opening movement of said trigger loop and by rocking the trigger with said actuator, thereby holding the loop jaw in the open position, subject to pressure exerted on the bait hooks of the trigger causing the release of the trigger loop from said rear projections and the movement of the loop jaw into the closed position.

GEORGE W. .OAKES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 580,694 Hooker Apr. 13, 1897 1,015,916 Teel Jan. 30, 1912 1,342,255 Doust June 1, 1920 1,992,294 Eycleshymer Feb. 26, 1935 2,068,865 Neuhausen Jan. 26, 1937 2,380,127 Tomey July 10, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 539,289 France Mar. 31, 1922 800,395 France May 4, 1936 202,081 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1923 

